Philippines: Indian Sikh couple shot dead in Sipocot town

There have been many attacks on Indians in the Philippines in the past.

The motive behind the murder of the Indian Sikh people was not immediately known, police said. (Representational)

A Sikh couple from India were gunned down on Thursday by two bike-borne assailants in the Philippines’ Camarines Sur province, a media report said. Bahagwant Singh Buttar, 45 and his wife Jaswinder Kaur, 36, residents of Sipocot town in the province, were killed by two gunmen who were riding a bike, Tempo newspaper reported.

The couple were on their way to somewhere when the gunmen struck, killing them on the spot, police said. Two suspects, Marvin Magdaong and Rodolfo t Gumatay, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the incident by the police after a chase in Sitio Nabuntog in Bangas Caves.

The motive behind the murder was not immediately known, police said. Two pistols and live ammunition have been recovered from their possession, police said, adding that a case has been registered.

There have been many attacks on Indians in the Philippines in the past. The last incident reported in August, when a 26-year-old Indian man, who belonged to Punjab’s Phagwara and lived in Santiago city, was shot dead just a couple of months before he was scheduled to get married.